Former Don Angelo Caloiaro Plays in German League All-Star Game

Angelo Caloiaro donned a USF uniform for four years at the Hilltop before taking his talents to Europe, where he has excelled in Bulgaria and Germany. (Photo courtesy of Dons Athletics)

Many basketball players are unable to find their way onto an NBA team after completing college, but for those who wish to continue pursuing their dream, forging a career in Europe is an attractive alternative. Former USF Don Angelo Caloiaro recently enjoyed a standout season playing for Mittledeutscher Basketball Club (BC), a team in the Beko BBL (Basketball Bundesliga), a professional basketball league in Germany. Caloiaro, who played for San Francisco from 2008-2012, was selected to participate in the Beko BBL All-Star Game, which took place Jan. 18 this year. The 6-8 forward’s All-Star nod was the culmination of his blazing start to the 2013-14 season, where he has averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds through the first 18 games.

In the All-Star Game, Caloiaro totaled four points, eight rebounds, and three assists to help Team International top Team National 121-116. He was named to the squad as a replacement for FC Bayern’s Nihad Djedovic, who sustained an ankle injury that would keep him out of the event. Ranking eighth in the Beko BBL in scoring, and shooting an impressive 52.8 percent from the field, Caloiaro arguably should have made Team International in the first place, rather than being chosen to fill in for an injured player. In the end, however, he was awarded the honor of competing amongst the best players in the league in just his second year of playing professional basketball.

“Any all-star event is something to be proud of and I am even more blessed to be participating with such a talented group,” Caloiaro told Lefteris Moutis of eurohoops.net.

At USF, Caloiaro went from a key role player as a freshman to a member of the All-WCC First Team in his senior year. The San Jose, Calif. native earned All-WCC honors after putting up 14.2 points and 6.0 rebounds during the 2011-2012 season, and completed his collegiate career ranked third all-time at USF in three-pointers made, and 19th in points scored. As a senior, he helped lead the Dons to a 20-14 record and an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational.

After graduating, Caloiaro spent a season playing for Rilski Sportist, a team in the Bulgarian National Basketball league, before signing with Mittledeutscher BC in the summer of 2013. While he has undoubtedly created a niche for himself in the world of European basketball, there are still challenges that lie ahead. Mittledeutscher BC currently has a record of 8-10, and Caloiaro will need to step up and cement himself as the leader of the team if they hope to qualify as one of eight teams that make the league playoffs.

Still just 24 years of age, Caloiaro’s youth and skill may also give him the opportunity to eventually sign with a more well-known European team. However, for now he is focused on the present.

“I try to stay concentrated during the season and devote all my attention to the team I am on,” Caloiaro told Moutis.

From San Francisco to Germany, it’s safe to say that the Beko BBL All-Star has been quite successful in doing just that.